Jim_R
Pattern Altitude
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
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Jim
At annual 18 mos ago, I added Whelen wingtip strobes to my PA28, including ballast. I already had a beacon strobe on the tail. Not exactly sure how it all got wired, but the new tip strobes were tied to the same switch as the beacon.
Over the last several months, I've noticed that the strobes don't always come on when I flip the panel switch. First time it happened, the plane had been sitting for a while and I turned on the strobes prior to cranking the engine, so I suspected maybe the battery was weak. I turned off the strobe switch and started the engine, then switched the strobes on and they worked.
This same sequence of events happened occasionally over the next several weeks. Then, one day, the strobes wouldn't come on even after the engine started. Cycling the switch once would generally get them going, but sometimes it took two cycles.
Now, the problem has gotten so bad that multiple switch cycles still won't get them to fire up. However, I seem to have good luck if I leave the switch on for several minutes (like during taxi/run-up), and then do a quick off/on cycle. So far, that's gotten the strobes started every time.
I am guessing this is a gradual failure of the ballast...at least, I've seen ballasts in fluorescent light fixtures degrade over time with almost exactly the same behavior, so that seems reasonable.
This is pretty disappointing, since the system was purchased and installed less than two years ago. Is this typical? What sort of lifespan should I reasonably expect from a Whelen ballast?
I haven't talked to my mechanic about it yet, but when I do, what should I expect to see him do to troubleshoot and diagnose the problem? (I think I've seen that Whelen sells dedicated diagnosis equipment for ballasts, but I don't think my mechanic has such a gizmo. Should I take it to someone who does?)
Over the last several months, I've noticed that the strobes don't always come on when I flip the panel switch. First time it happened, the plane had been sitting for a while and I turned on the strobes prior to cranking the engine, so I suspected maybe the battery was weak. I turned off the strobe switch and started the engine, then switched the strobes on and they worked.
This same sequence of events happened occasionally over the next several weeks. Then, one day, the strobes wouldn't come on even after the engine started. Cycling the switch once would generally get them going, but sometimes it took two cycles.
Now, the problem has gotten so bad that multiple switch cycles still won't get them to fire up. However, I seem to have good luck if I leave the switch on for several minutes (like during taxi/run-up), and then do a quick off/on cycle. So far, that's gotten the strobes started every time.
I am guessing this is a gradual failure of the ballast...at least, I've seen ballasts in fluorescent light fixtures degrade over time with almost exactly the same behavior, so that seems reasonable.
This is pretty disappointing, since the system was purchased and installed less than two years ago. Is this typical? What sort of lifespan should I reasonably expect from a Whelen ballast?
I haven't talked to my mechanic about it yet, but when I do, what should I expect to see him do to troubleshoot and diagnose the problem? (I think I've seen that Whelen sells dedicated diagnosis equipment for ballasts, but I don't think my mechanic has such a gizmo. Should I take it to someone who does?)